François-Claudius COMPTE-CALIX

François-Claudius COMPTE- CALIX was born in Lyon the 27th August in 1813, and died in Chazay d’Azergues, the 29th July in 1880.

He received his training at the School of Fine Arts in Lyon from 1829 to 1833 by the Professor Claude BONNEFOND (1796-1860). COMPTE- CALIX returned to the Academy to continue his studies and to teach drawing of 1835-1836.

In 1836 he moved to Paris where he became a very popular and admired painter of his time. He is the creator of numerous genre scenes and portraits.

He made his debut at the Salon of Lyon in 1837. He painted "The Younger Sister" and "likeness" which will be exhibited at the prestigious Paris Salon of 1840. The painter also exhibited works with evocative titles: "Only in the World" ( 1848); "Love in the cottage" (1845); "There is no smoke without fire" (1861).COMPTE- CALIX quickly became a regular exhibitor of salons. He particularly likes portraits, romantic genre scenes and anecdotal historical scenes.

He created numerous illustrations for fashion magazines such as The Museum of Dames or The Jewel. He happened to get in the Journal hairstyles drawings of fashion, dresses and hats. His drawings and paintings perfectly trace the evolution of the stylish outfits and social events: hunting parties, evenings at the opera ...

The painting of François-Claudius COMPTE- CALIX is borrowed poetry and romantic feelings.

The painting that we offer is in this line and thus belongs to the art movement known as Romanticism.

Romanticism is characterized by an atmosphere conducive to dreams, we aspire to ideal advantage, feelings, exoticism, mystery and imagination than the dreary daily life of the 19th century surrounded by the new industrial area and revolts.

Romantic, like COMPTE- CALIX, wanted primarily to convey emotions by playing on dramatic color effects on the exuberance of the attitudes or the theatricality of the scenes.

Motherhood presented to us here is bathed in a warm light where the characters are surrounded by lush nature.

The artist’s touch gives life to the stage, she is lively and fast, not straight line or uniform surface. Vegetation is everywhere, she sways and circle the characters. Young parents are touched to the newborn, even the dog wants to participate. The emotion of this mild and cheerful moment that we retranscribes the painter is quite palpable.

His works are exhibited in many museums: the Musée d’Orsay, the Musée Magnin in Dijon, the Adrien-Dubouché Museum of Limoges, the Château de Compiègne, Leipzig museum in Germany, the museum of Roanne.

We also find the artist in the auction houses and his works are acclaimed by the buyers, as "the Broken Love Dream" sold 14 100 euros by Christie’s on the 24th June in 2004, or "Catholic Priest as a soldier" estimated 8 000 to 10 000 euros from the sale of the 14th May in 2011 in Berlin.